Space Future has been on something of a hiatus of late. With the concept of Space Tourism steadily increasing in acceptance, and the advances of commercial space, much of our purpose could be said to be achieved. But this industry is still nascent, and there's much to do. So...watch this space.

Virgin Galactic today unveiled the design of its new, environmentally benign, space launch system based on the X Prize winning technology of SpaceShipOne, which successfully flew into space for the third time in October 2004 and won the $10m Ansari X Prize.

Untapped potential of rocket-powered aircraft decades late and still waiting.

50 years ago today the prototype of the supersonic SR.53 rocket-powered interceptor aircraft made its first test flight at RAE Boscombe Downs, England. Over the following year, the two prototypes flew 42 times, including supersonically, but after an unexplained crash the project was cancelled. The planned function of high-altitude interception was fulfilled by the "Lightning" aircraft which was being developed at much the same time. Although the Lightnings were much loved by pilots, and became famous as world record-holders for high-speed climb, they could not of course leave the atmosphere as a rocket-powered vehicle could have.

The delayed second test flight of SpaceX's Falcon 1 took place on Tuesday March 20th to bittersweet success: although the rocket reached space and achieved a number of benchmarks, including stage separation and a second-stage ignition, it ultimately did not achieve orbital velocity. After a smooth first-stage ascent, a roll instability developed in the second stage, and further contact with the rocket was lost.

Dietrich Koelle of TransCostSystems has announced the availability of the expanded and updated version 7 of the Transcost Statistical-Analytical model. See below for details of how to receive the report by post: